Question

   Do students in your country go directly to university or college after school or have a break first? Taking a gap (间隙) year between school and university is quite common in the UK,and there are lots of different ways to spend your time.

   A “gap year” is a period of time,usually an academic (学术的) year,when a student takes a break from formal education. It is often spent traveling or working.

   People used to think that taking a gap year was negative (消极的) . In the past you took a gap year if you had to retake exams or had problems between finishing school and starting higher education. But now,universities positively (肯定地) encourage a gap year,and employers are happy to give jobs to students who take a gap year. A gap year can give young people useful learning experience,help them pick up new skills and make them more independent.

   Young people in formal education usually take a gap year when they are about eighteen years old,before going to university. They can also be taken at a different time,for example,by someone who wants to break up their degree course or to do something different before a postgraduate (研究生) course.

   Many gap year students choose to do voluntary (志愿的) work. Popular gap year activities for young people are looking for adventure. Lots of gap year students just want to see more of the world.

   Most students who are planning a gap year take on a part-time job to save up for the trip. Some students travel for three or six months then work for the rest of the year.

  阅读以上短文，根据短文内容，完成下面的表格，每空一词。

A gap year in the UK
What is a gap year?	It is the time when a student 1. from formal education. The opinion in the past about a gap year was thought to be 2. Now a gap year can help young people get useful 3. , new skills and make them more independent.
When?	About eighteen years old, before going to university or at a different time.
What to do?	Doing voluntary work, traveling around the world and the popular_esare4.   .
What about money?	By doing 5.  to make money.

Answer 1

 你知道间隔年(gap year) 吗？在英国，很多学生在结束 高中课程上大学之前，会有一个间隔年，他们在此期间做志 愿者，环游世界，参与冒险活动，同时做一些兼职工作赚取 旅游费用。

1. takes a break 根据第二段“when a student takes a break from formal education”可知一个间隔年指的是学生在正 规教育期间，中断学习的那段时间。

2. negative 根据第三段第一句 “ People used to think that taking a gap year was negative. ”可知，人们过去常常认为 接受一个间隔年是负面的。

3. learning experience 根据第三段尾句 “A gap year can give young people useful learning experience…”可知，一 个间隔年可以帮助年轻人获取有用的经验。

4. looking for adventure 根据倒数第二段“Popular gap year activities for young people are looking for adventure. ”可知，最受学生欢迎的活动是“去冒险”。

5. a part-time job 根据尾段 “ Most students who are planning a gap year take on a part-time job to save up for the trip. ”可知进行间隔年的学生会做兼职，赚取旅游 费用。